hump day haflinger series #7

So far, we have seen Haflingers that ride various disciplines and Halfingers that drive. Today, I present to you a Halfinger that not only rides, drives, and is the top broodmare at Happy Haflinger Farms in Wisconsin, but this fantastic mare is a vaulting horse!

Liebste

Haflinger: Liebste 

Sire and Dam: Abendstern and Lea. She was imported from Padenstedt, Germany.

Age: 14 year old mare

Height: 14.2 hh

Favorite Food: Is this a trick question? She is a haffie, she eats everything!

Quirks: When Liebste is cold, she wiggles her upper lip.

Personality: Liebste is very, very loving, kind, and gentle. She is top mare in the barn and bossy to the other horses, though. 

Likes: Eating and snuggling.

Discipline: Vaulting. Liebste also does lower level dressage, jumping, and trail rides.

Vaulting originated for use in battle to help make soldiers more dexterous and secure. Now is it an FEI sport. Many riders in Europe get their start in vaulting. It involves gymnastics and dance movements on the horse with one, two, or three people at a time. Not only does vaulting require the rider to have lots of balance, strength, and flexibility; it requires the horse (who is lunged at the walk, trot, and canter) to be quiet, calm, obedient, and strong.

So calm about all those people on her!

Demonstrations: 

• Midwest Horse Fair
• Northern Illinois Horse Fest
• 2010 - World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky with the Haflinger Owners of Wisconsin

Three people on one horse!

Ingrid Krause is the owner of Happy Haflingers. She grew up riding horses in Germany. Ingrid knew that Haflingers were athletic, fun, family horses, so when she moved to Wisconsin, she knew those were the kind of horses she had to have. For her farm, Ingrid imports some Haflingers from Germany and breeds the other Haflingers right on the farm. Ingrid's Haflingers are very athletic and and will try their heart out for their riders. Ingrid's goal is to breed sporty, all around Haflingers. She has Haflingers on the farm that are working on Fourth Level Dressage, Novice Level Eventing, and Combined Driving. She loves that these horses are so versatile that the same horse can do so many different disciplines and be a pleasure to be around.

Balance!

Haley Madden is the vaulting coach at Happy Haflingers. She has known Ingrid for about 15 years and considers herself Ingrid's "horse daughter." Haley works with Leibste on teaching children to be confident around horses. Liebste also teaches children how to ride and takes great care of "her children" as she is a very relaxed horse. Liebste has a very sweet personality and is very tolerant of her vaulters! Together, Ingrid and Haley are teaching others about how great the Haflinger breed is. 

**All photos are from Happy Haflinger website or Happy Haflingers Facebook Page, used with their permission.